The Performance of Trees on Campus
ar·bo·re·tum
[ahr-buh-ree-tuhm]
noun, ar·bo·re·tum
a plot of land on which many different trees or
shrubs are grown for study or display.
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Georgia Tech Landscape Master Plan
…a landscape…unique to Georgia Tech - a Performance Landscape joining technology and ecology to create great sense of place…
integrates landform, hydrology, soils, and biological communities…
trees shape microclimate and engage the hydrologic cycle,
where soils drink in stormwater instead of discharging it into sewers, where
biomass sequesters carbon, improves air quality and increases
biodiversity.
The landscape is also a cultural entity that integrates open space,
buildings, circulation and human behavior and experience.
Key Concepts:
Georgia Tech Landscape Master Plan
Stormwater
Basins
Eco-commons – A Performance Landscape
Goals:
• Develop integrated,
ecologically-based
landscape and open
space systems (storm
water management)
• Enhanced living,
working, learning
environment
• Unify the campus with a
distinct sense of place
• Increase tree canopy,
replace aging trees
• Create Eco-Commons
(80 acres)
• Implement ecological
performance
requirements of 50%
reduction of storm
water runoff
Eco-commons – A Performance Landscape
Completed Tree Inventory
95 ac canopy / 397 acres
25% coverage
Note:
The purpose of this document is
to track and assess the tree
canopy coverage within a
defined area representational of
Georgia Tech. This document is
for informational purposes only
and is not intended to
represent ownership. The limits
delineated represent areas
where Georgia Tech maintains
or provides guidance regarding
the landscape.
Tree Species Distribution
2012 Total trees species distribution: 11,046 Trees
11,642 Trees as of March 2015
2012 Tree Conditions
92.5% Good to Excellent Health
Tree Inventory Upkeep
New Planting
Existing Trees
Removal
Construction –
Estimate –
How many?
Development
Construction
Storm Damage
Pest Management
Accidental Damage
Vandalism
Pruning
Watering
Fertilizer
Mulching
Pesticide
Compaction
Other New Development
Landscape Improvement
Commemorative
Landscape
Housing
Parking
GTRI
AA
Greek
Religious
Tree Inventory ‐ GIS Mapping
What would it take to make the Georgia Tech
Campus an Arboretum…and why?
The Performance of Trees on Campus
Campus Tree Calculations
2014 Tree Count
11,307
Canopy Cover
% Canopy Coverage
Leaf Area
Leaf Biomass
Carbon Storage
Gross Carbon Sequestration
5,230,494 sf
95ac/397ac=25%
16,678,954 sf
295,596 lb
5,288,568 lb
211,318 lb/yr
Tree Value
$12,107,376
95 acres Canopy / 397 acres =
25% Campus Coverage
i‐Tree Eco Model Analysis Results
Landscape Committee
Executive Leadership group with a focus on the campus landscape
Landscape Workgroup
Representatives from majority of campus units to discuss campus site
projects and provide a platform for communication and awareness
Tree Campus USA Committee
Representatives from majority of campus units, students and adjacent
communities with a focus on TREES.
Purpose – Define the Performance of Trees
• Provide a platform for the development of
educational tools defining the Performance of
individual trees and the collective forest in the
urban landscape
• Study at a variety of scales from the
microscopic impacts of trees on soils to the
regional impact of the urban forest
• Living Learning Laboratory
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Individual trees
What they individually do for the Environment
(List specific characteristics for individual tree species) •
•
•
•
•
•
Pollinator Species
Wildlife attributes
Food, shelter, etc…
Environmental monitors
Phytoremediation (Using plants to clean soils)
Highlight native trees and/or rare trees
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Individual trees
What they do for People
(Current/Historic uses, Cultural Significance)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Commercial Value Construction uses
Agricultural value
Food sources
Breeding material for existing crops Medicinal (known and potential for unknown contributions to medicine)
Cultural significance
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Plant Community Performance •
•
•
•
•
•
Define tree/plant communities and benefits associated with them
Micro‐climates (How trees create micro‐climates)
Impacts on Buildings vs Buildings on Trees (Energy savings)
Species Diversity (Possibly partner with ABG to house rare species as a disaster prevention plan)
Increase Soil Biodiversity (need soil specialist to help with this)
Use Plant Communities to establish “plant collections”
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Entire Campus Performance (Collective Trees)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provide shade and reduces temperature
Reduction in Stormwater runoff
Increased soil porosity
Pollution Reduction
Carbon Sequestration
Leaf Biomass
Ecological Benefits of Natural Diversity
Aesthetic/Recreational Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Living Learning Laboratory
Research/Teaching opportunities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Heat Island Effect – Canopy coverage (CoA)
Stormwater Runoff Calculations (CGIS/CoA, CoE)
Leaf Biomass (CGIS – CoA)
Bee research (COS – Jennifer Leavey)
Augmented Reality (CoA – Digital Building Lab)
GIS/Planning (CGIS/CoA – Siva R)
Environmentalism & Eco‐critism LMC 3308 (Yanni Loukissas)
The Urban Forest, EAS 2803 HPC (Monica Halka)
Energy use in adjacent buildings
Phytoremediation (Using plants to clean soils)
Biodiversity
Pollution Reduction
Carbon Sequestration
Others…
Georgia Tech – Campus Arboretum
Heat Island Effect (Brian Stone – CoA) Heat Island Effect (Brian Stone – CoA) Tree Species Distribution by District
Arboretum Collection
Level I – 25 species or
varieties of trees or woody
plants planted and grown in
accordance with the
Arboretum Plan.
Level II - 100 species
• Labeled in some way as
to their identity,
• Documented as to their
acquisition (source or
origin, date, etc.).
GT has more than 100
species and can achieve
Level II
Augmented Reality App
Currently developing with CoA Digital Building Lab
View of Tech Green today
Augmented Reality App
Currently developing with CoA Digital Building Lab
View of Tech Green Trees in approximately 50 years
Augmented Reality App
Currently developing with CoA Digital Building Lab
View of Tech Green today
Augmented Reality App
Currently developing with CoA Digital Building Lab
View of Tech Green Trees in approximately 50 years
Augmented Reality or AR Tour
How to access the
Augmented Reality Tour
Load “JUNAIO” App on your
mobile device.
Once loaded…..
Scan the QR code
provided
Scan this QR code
with the JUNAIO App.
Touch the
Green Button
Touch “Radar” and adjust
viewing distance,
Adjust “Radar” and touch tree for
performance information
Touch Green Dot
Touch map view
Touch on tree name
Select trees for
performance
information